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mSpy Is It Any Good?

mSpy is one of the big competitors in the mobile spying business, but is it any good? Here, we’ll give you all the details. We’ll tell you about its features, reliability, value, and so much more. If you’re been burning to figure out if mSpy is worth it, hold tight and we’ll tell you. If you’re in a hurry, though, here is a summary:

Pros

• Plenty of features to go around
• Is a good value for the price
• Has an option for those who don’t have a jailbroken phone
• Company is trusted and always reliable

Cons

• No option to record
• Compared to Flexispy, it doesn’t have as many features

Review Summary

If you want a well-rounded monitoring app, mSpy is the way to go. While not as advanced as Flexispy, mSpy comes close, and is cheaper to boot, especially if you don’t need all the recording features. mSpy has been a reliable leader for a few years now, and they have a few good reasons as to why.

Check it out, and you won’t be disappointed.

Our reviews involve us taking a good look at the software, delving deep into its features to give youa comprehensive review, and this is no different.

We’re going to give you all our findings, and much more. But first, let’s look at mSpy’s market standing as of this article.

Market Standing

mSpy is currently one of the hottest monitoring companies out there. Chances are, you’ve saw it if you’ve been looking for a program. StealthGenie is no longer active and MobileSpy is no longer discreet, so mSpy has been able to stand above the rest ever since it was introduced five years ago in 2011.

Over time, mSpy has gotten itself a good reputation of giving its customers monitoring for mobile devices that works, and they even have monitoring for PCs, although we won’t cover that.

Sadly, mSpy had to get rid of a few of their advanced features, such as call recording, because they were afraid of any legal trouble in the US. As of this article, Flexispy is the only company to have the option to record calls and surroundings, so if you really need to have call recording, go with that.

Otherwise, mSpy is a good alternative to Flexispy, providing some great features for a price that won’t hurt your wallet too much. We’ll be breaking down the features, both old and new, and giving you an unbiased look as to whether or not this software is worth your time. Let’s begin with device compatibility.

Supported Devices

Good monitoring software will have a wide range of hardware and OS’s that they support. Sadly, while mSpy does cover Apple and Android, they don’t cover any of the small names such as Blackberry, Windows, etc. If your target device is one of those, look elsewhere. Otherwise, if they have Android or Apple, you need to figure out if the target has a version that mSpy supports.

For Apple devices, mSpy supports every version up to iOS 9.x. For Android, 4.x and up. As usual, this list will change, and your best source of information is to visit the official website and see what they have currently. With everything always changing, their site will be more up to date than we will.

No Jailbreak Required?

If you’re spying on an iPhone – Apple device, you need to have the phone jailbroken, which is hacking the phone to remove its manufacturer-imposed limitations, to use the software. mSpy is not Apple-approved, so it won’t work unless the phone is jailbroken. There is a way, however, to monitor vanilla devices.

Apple devices have iCloud, which is their online backup system, which is free of charge. mSpy has a features that allows you to get data on the target’s iCloud backups, if they have any. You need to have the target’s Apple ID and password to get this information, so if you don’t have that, you can’t use this service.

Otherwise, you do have monitoring features, albeit limited. It can get iCloud information such as

• Texts
• Call Logs
• Browsing History
• Events
• Notes
• Contacts

Reporting is limited and depends on how often the device is backed up, and it’s not in real time. As such, it’s not as good as if you monitored the device normally.

However, in the instances where you can’t jailbreak an iPhone, you have something. And as the future happens, there may be better options available.

Now that we mentioned this, let’s look at mSpy’s other features, shall we?

mSpy’s Unique Features

mSpy has the features that are typical in monitoring software. You can look at emails, call logs, texts, browsing, GPS tracking, and much more. There’s nothing really to talk about in its basic features except that it works.

Instead, we’ll be looking at the unique features that make mSpy stand out. First, let’s look at Geo Fencing.

Geo Fencing

For parents, you don’t want your kids wandering somewhere they’re not supposed to. Geo Fencing fixes this. You can choose specific locations in the map that your target can visit. If the target gets out of that range, an alarm will be sent to you so you can stay alert. From our use, the alarm works great, making it a good way to figure out if your child is really going to their friend’s house for the weekend.

Chat Monitoring

Sorry to say this, but texting is constantly outdated. Many users rely on chat apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Snapchat, Line, Twitter, and others to message people and keep up with their friends. mSpy has many services to monitor these chat apps and give you the reports you need.

Tinder Spy

This allows you to see what your target does on Tinder. Good for your teenager who may be swiping a little too fast. Just don’t use it on your spouse, because that’s illegal!

App Block

If you don’t want your employees or kids using certain apps, this feature allows you to disable selected apps. You can disable Facebook for your employees, or your kids until they finish their homework. It’s a useful thing.

Keylogger

The Keylogger is mSpy’s own special feature. Basically, you can see what the target has been typing, all in real time. You can learn the person’s passwords, emails, and other login info. A keylogger is useful for many things, and we’re glad to see mSpy having it.

Sadly, as of this article, it’s only available for Androids. Maybe the future will bring Apple compatibility, but for now, Android only.

Website Filtering

Don’t want your kids getting on sites they’re not supposed to? Don’t want your employees surfing Facebook when they should be working? All you need to do is use the website filtering option to block any website you desire.

But what if the employee is on break or the kid has finished their homework? Well, you can set certain periods when the website is accessible. See? This app has planned ahead.

Wi-Fi Monitoring

This features allows you to see what Wi-Fi networks the target phone has been on in the past. This is good if the GPRS shuts off. Wi-Fi monitoring allows you to see what time the device connected to the network, and you can even control the phone’s access to certain Wi-Fi networks. It’s good if you don’t want your kid connecting to a fishy network.

Device Managing

The control panel gives users multiple ways to see what’s going on when it comes to the mobile devices being monitored, all without any hassle. You can edit how you receive notifications, and choose how to receive reports. You can get reports on GPS, or when the device connects to Wi-Fi. You can even get automatic updates to the software without having to worry about grabbing the target device.

Device Change

So what if the target phone is lost, or you no longer want to monitor the target phone and instead monitor a new one? Well, you’re in luck. The license for mSpy is flexible, allowing you to move between devices as many times as you want to. All you need to do is deactivate the target device and activate another. It’s very useful!

Security

mSpy includes many ways control security features. You can limit certain apps from being used on the target phone, you can lock the phone via password, you can wipe the phone’s data any time, and more. Being able to wipe away sensitive data is a nice perk, especially if the target device is lost.

Discreetness

When installing an app on a target phone, you don’t want your target knowing of its existence. MobileSpy used to make its app visible to the target’s phone, but mSpy manages to be discreet. The target won’t even know they’re being monitored. However, don’t use mSpy to monitor an adult without their consent.

Customer Service

Good customer service is important when it comes to monitoring software. You need someone to work out the kinks if you run into any technical difficulties, after all. Thankfully, most monitoring companies do have good, if not great, customer service.

mSpy has live chat support, allowing you to chat with an agent in real time. If you don’t want to do that, they have email and phone lines as well. When it comes to email, some emails do slip through the cracks, so if they don’t reply right away, send them another. We applaud mSpy for having phone support, as someone can explain everything while you work on your problem.

As for the website itself, it’s sleek, clean, and easy to navigate. It gives visitors the basics of their product without overwhelming them too much. They do a good job in sucking a visitor in and letting them test out the product.

Speaking of testing out, they do have a 10-day money back guarantee. If you don’t like mSpy, they’ll give you a full refund. Neat!

The Price

So how much will this app cost you? Like with most monitoring apps, mSpy has multiple packages and plans. mSpy comes in two different packages, which is the Basic and the Premium. The Basic package is, well, basic. It only has call logs, text message logs, web history, and GPS tracking. The Premium bundle may be what you’re looking for if you want a little more in your software.

Basic has either a one month or a three month option, while Premium adds six months and a year. The more months you have, the better value it is. For example, a Basic one month is about $40, while three months is about $60. You do the math.

As of this article, here are the prices.

Basic

1 month $39.99

3 months $59.99

Premium

1 month $69.99

3 months $119.99

6 months $149.99

1 year $199.99

Payment Plan

With any trusted company, mSpy includes multiple options for paying. You can use debit, credit, and PayPal. All of them include a money back guarantee should you not be satisfied.

We, for one, enjoy the prices. You can get a better deal if you’re looking for long-term monitoring, but if you just want to monitor someone short-term, the one month option is good. With a variety of choices.

Overall

There’s not too much negative to say about mSpy, really. It’s versatile, with many features that make them unique. We enjoyed the Keylogger feature, as well as the No Jailbreak option. We’re glad to see a company who knows that not everyone wants to jailbreak their Apple devices.

Sure, FlexiSpy is still the most advanced objectively, but mSpy is slowly catching up to them. With their price, they’re good if you don’t need call or ambient recording. If you just need the basics, along with some good bells and whistles, mSpy is for you.

Nowadays, whenever you purchase a smartphone or other electronic device they will come preregistered with what are known as “default settings”. On one hand these default settings are good, they are settings that are recommended by the manufacturers and they should normally be fine for general usage of the device.

However, most of the time you may find that, at the very least, one or two of these default settings may conflict with what you deem as your own personal optimal settings.

Maybe you’re willing to be more lenient with your battery usage or maybe you like to be much more private with your information. Whatever the case may be and whatever type of device that you are using, there are bound to be options that you can change, deactivate, tweak, and alter for your personal benefit.

If this seems intimidating or you’re worried about damaging your device’s software, fear not, this guide will help you in getting to know your device’s settings.

While Windows devices, iOS devices, and Android devices all have somewhat differing settings, there are still some common settings among them that are objectively essential.

Set A Screen Lock

While this may seem simple enough it is actually your first line of defense when safeguarding your privacy. While some individuals might think that having to constantly enter a PIN, whenever they want to use their phone, is too time consuming; it is actually a minor inconvenience.

A screen lock can hinder your friends from meddling in your messages or photos and it can also help to ensure that criminals can’t readily access your private information using phone spy apps such as mSpy or Flexispy. The general consensus among tech experts is that, compared to pattern lock screens, PINs are much more secure.

If you are using an iOS device, to set a PIN all you have to do is head to: Settings; Passcode. For Android devices, if you want to set a PIN you should head to: Settings; Security; Screen Lock. With Windows phones, if you are going to set a PIN you simply have to navigate to: Settings; Lock Screen. For virtually all devices, you can select what services (such as emergency calling) are available on the lock screen.

Opt Out of Ad Tracking

The internet has become an integral part of our day to day lives. Following this, it comes as no surprise that online ads, internet marketing, and social media ads are extremely integral to our online experience today. A lot of these ads are specifically targeted to you based on the data that is collected in regards to your online behavior and activities.

However, even though this might seem a tad too intrusive, there are certain ways that you can effectively limit the data that is collected in regards to your online activity.

If you are on an iOS device you can navigate to: Settings; Privacy; Advertising. Once there you can then activate the Limited Targeted Advertising option, this will considerably lessen the level of tracking.

On a Windows device you should navigate to Settings and look under the Advertising ID tab, here you can turn on or off targeted advertising.

In your Google Settings on Android devices, you can find options for your advertising preferences. Simply go to: Ads; Opt out of internet based ads. This lessens the overall quantity of data that Google collects about your online activities.

Find Your Phone

Once upon a time, in days gone by smartphone users would have to personally search for apps that would be able to track their phone if it inadvertently go lost or stolen.Thankfully, those days are gone and now virtually all devices have integrated methods of locating and tracking them. These options are not usually pre-activated, so it is up to you, the user, to activate them yourself.

Windows phone users simply have to navigate to: Settings; Find My Phone and then select the relevant options. With this you can ring your device, track the location of your device, or remotely erase your device. If you are on an iOS device you have to do a bit more – navigate to: Settings; iCloud; Find My iPod/iPhone/iPad. You can then either utilize the web interface or use another iOS device that has the “Find My iPhone App” installed.

Android devices are a similar situation as well – navigate to: Google Settings; Android Device Manager. Select the relevant options and from there you can either use the Android Device Manager app on another Android capable device or use the online Android Device Manager.

Don’t Save Password In Browsers

Many mobile browsers have an option that gives users the ability to store their passwords, i.e. Remember Password. While this is undoubtedly very convenient, it is also very risky as well. In the event the your phone is lost, stolen, or misplaced, someone could easily do a bit of searching and discover any or all of the websites that you stay logged into.

This could be your Facebook account, your PayPal account, your eBay account or anything in between. Whenever these prompts appear, asking you if you want to “Remember your password”, you should probably press “No”.

If you have already granted permission for remembering passwords on certain websites, here is how you can go about clearing these records. Android users should first go to Chrome and slect the Menu bar (located in the top right hand corner).

From there you need to select Settings and a section marked “Save Passwords” should appear, you can view, manage, and delete passwords that you have set to be remembered and you can disable the “Remember Password” feature.

If you are using an iOS device, navigate to: Settings; Safari; Passwords & Autofill. From here you can manage your saved password and autofill information (which may include credit card information and social security numbers).

Windows phone users should navigate to: Settings; Applications; Internet Explorer; Advanced Settings. Select the “Don’t Remember” option and then navigate back out of the Advanced Settings and select the Delete History option.

Backup

While there are apps that can immensely help you with you backup efforts, the default OS for each of the three device types listed here have native settings that can help you as well. While they are of course not going to be able to provide all of your backup needs, they are worth of being a necessary part of your backup initiative.

For iOS users, all you have to do is navigate to: Settings; iCloud (make sure that the backup option at the bottom is selected). From there you can comprehensively decide exactly what you want to send to the iCloud to be backed up.

For Android users, you need to navigate to: Settings; Backup & Reset. You have a few options, you can back up your app data and even your Wi-Fi passwords. For Windows phone users, you simply have to navigate to: Settings; Backup. From here you can enable the Backup service and alter any of the various categories.

Android

Android gives users the freedom to install apps from third party locations (i.e. not Google Play Store). While this is extremely beneficial to you the users, it is also a security risk if not managed properly.

Whenever you are not downloading an app form “trusted” third party provider, you should always deactivate the option that allows for non-Google Play installations. Simply navigate to: Settings; Security; Unknown Sources and uncheck the relevant box. You can also verify apps that are already installed on your device.

Also, some apps may prompt you to give them administrator privileges. The only apps that should be given this status are system related apps such as the previously mentioned Android Device Manager. Before you give this status to any other app, you should first do some in depth research as to why this app would warrant these permissions.

iOS – Apple Operating System

Virtually all iOS apps will ask for permissions to perform a number of functions, this is mandatory. While you may want to just blindly click ok and not read what they are asking for, this is not recommended. These apps may be asking to share your location publicly, access your photos (private one or otherwise), or access your messaging history.

Not everyone will be comfortable with giving up their privacy that easily. If you head to: Settings; Privacy, you can then see all of the permission group and permissions that your have given to your apps, as well as you can alter them as you see fit. By going into Settings; Privacy; Location Services; System Services, you can view numerous options related to location sharing, location related ads, etc.

Windows

Windows phones come with a nifty built-in option called the “Kid’s Corner”. This gives you the ability to designate specific app that you children can use, while prohibiting them from using others (such as the shop or the web browser). Simply go to Settings and select Kid’s Corner to begin adding allowed apps (you will need to have a PIN enabled on your phone to utilize the Kid’s Corner feature effectively.
Conclusion

While all of these settings may seem tedious and tiresome, going through all of them is well worth the trouble. Do you have any questions about our guidelines? Did we miss any essential tips that you are aware of? Feel free to let us know about them!

We have noticed that your account was accessed from an unauthorized device. Keeping your account secure is our primary concern, therefore we have temporarily limited access to your account. This is to safeguard your account from being accessed by others.

To restore access to your account please follow the link below to confirm your information. Thank you for banking with us.

Regards
(Bank Name) customer support”

It’s only normal for you to start worrying after receiving an email from your bank similar to the one above. The horror stories of people being robbed of their last penny is enough to make you hit the delete button. Its individuals with creative minds and criminal instincts that create these messages and forward them to your email.

Email Scams – Or as it more commonly called today, phishing, is a fraudulent attempt to lure you into disclosing confidential information or install malware on your PC. Cyber criminals are on a crusade of sending fake email messages to thousands of online bankers and anyone who is part of a company they can phish.

Online banking offers us a lot of benefits, so it’s up to you to be on the lookout for scam emails. This post will help you to identify scam emails, below are a few things your bank will never ask you online but a scammer will.

Click the Link and Enter Your Details When Prompted

This is a common trick used by cyber thieves today to get you to voluntarily surrender private information. The emails are always worded to look legitimate and may even bear the bank or company logo; however, you should avoid clicking on any links and entering your banking information – especially your PIN and password.

If the email is real then your bank will be more than willing to confirm it. Give them a call or visit the official website directly to make any changes to your account. In most cases the link address will look real but it’s always best to travel the safe route – go to the website from a new window. .

Insert Your 4 Digit Pin

This is obvious but still worth mentioning. Too many people today willingly enter their PIN in different online mediums that they are visiting for the first time. Paying by card has become the norm online and in stores, regardless of whether or not there is another payment option available.

It’s convenient, quick, and it saves you the trouble of carrying around cash. The downside is that it puts you at risk of becoming a victim of credit card fraud. Since 2013, credit card fraud in Europe has reached a new high with card holders losing over £450.4 million, a 16% increase from 2012.

Although government and private entities have made some attempts to reduce credit card fraud, there are still many criminals that are trying to get people to share their PIN online via scam emails. In most cases they will create a situation that needs to be rectified urgently to trick you into changing your PIN.

In these cases it’s best for you to visit or call your bank immediately to confirm the situation. Your PIN should always be kept confidential. Even when you visit your bank to change your PIN, the assistant will give you privacy to enter your new PIN.

Download The Form Below and Fill In The Details

Email service providers, for example Gmail and Hotmail, will filter out suspicious emails as spam but their methods are not always effective. Most cyber criminals today are intelligent – there is no denying it and the problem with most of these email service providers is that they underestimate the skills of these criminals.

One of the most recent techniques being used by scammers is to create malicious PDF files with software-locking ransom ware. Once you’ve entered your information in the file it will be delivered with your personal details to their server.

The scary thing is that with this bit of information they may be able to gain access to your PayPal, eBay and even your social media accounts.

There are a few ways in which you can spot dangerous attachments in an email. For example documents with .exe are Windows programs which most email services will block automatically but if somehow they end up in your inbox you should hit the delete button.

There are many other harmful extensions like .hta, .bat, .msi, .js, and .wsf; that may end up in your email. Someone may also email harmful files to you in an archive. This way your antivirus and email scanners will not be able to examine the file creating ways for malware to go unnoticed.

Test Transaction

Your bank will not email you telling you to perform test transaction but a scammer might. Generally they will claim it is to resolve technical problems or to transfer your funds to a new account for additional safety but in most cases it is a scammer tricking you into sending your money to their personal account.

A poll conducted in England revealed that 3 million people prefer to conduct test transactions while 4 million would agree to transfer their money to a safe account.

A bank would not respond to suspicious activities on your account by asking you to transfer money to resolve the problem. It is more plausible that they would suspend the account until they can verify that your account was not accessed by an outsider.

Contact This Number

Technology has brought us a lot of joy but it has also make it much easier for criminals to exploit our hard earnings. Police National Coordinator for Economic Crime, Steve Head agrees. Criminals can now steal from you in more sophisticated ways by using smart devices, such as cell phones. You should be familiar with your banks number and always avoid calling strange numbers.

If you don’t know your bank’s number you can verify it easy by visiting their official website or you might have a business card from your personal banker. Look for https:// in the website address. If you’ve also received a letter from your bank their number should be listed on the letterhead.

In addition, instead of getting you to call, a scammer may also ring your phone directly and pretend to be a representative of your bank. Voice phishing is very common today and it is used by criminals to obtain confidential information. They might ask for your PIN, ask that you disclose information related to your account, or ask that you authorize payments. To take things a bit further they may ask you to call your bank and remain on the line to listen in on your call.

Keep Alert

Reading this post is your first step to avoiding scams. Stay informed about your privacy and always be sceptical when you receive an email that seems to be from your bank.

Some banks don’t even have email addresses but you may not remember this if caught off-guard. Always verify all emails before taking action and the best way to do so is by visiting your local branch.

Making a living online nowadays is possible – in fact I have been doing so for a while now, while being a stay-at-home mom at the same time. Setting aside a few hours in a day to write is something that anyone can do. Keep in mind that the money may not be what you envisioned at first, but it’s not bad either.

Let’s say you’re working a regular 9 to 5 job. If you deduct the cost of gas, because you need to drive to and from work, the cost of lunch and some other costs which have a habit of popping up unexpectedly, you would pretty much earn the same amount while working online, or even slightly more. What you also get by working online is freedom of time constraints. I get up early to write and take care of the house and I’m done by the early afternoon.

When was the last time you got off work at 1 PM? Many would object by saying that your social life would suffer if you choose to work from home, but I’ve met most of my friends outside of work anyways.

If we are going to talk about concrete ways of making money online, we need to understand how and why it works. Your website or blog can make money from online advertising, or to be more exact, Google Ads placed on the page itself. Also, if you’re planning to make money, it would be best to pick a niche that is popular.

The Nurse Salary Niche

For example, I happened to stumble upon this website Nurse Salary Guide, ran by a real nurse called Debra Riley, a website which offers in-depth information about all things related to medical staff’s salaries – from Registered Nurses to LPN’s and Nurse Practitioners. Why this niche in particular? Websites and blogs about becoming a nurse or a medical assistant don’t exactly pop up inside your head when you think about what might be profitable. But, even though the job market has been significantly altered since the economy crisis, medical sector hasn’t taken a hit at all.

The fact of the matter is, by the year 2020 at least, there will be an increased demand for medical professionals of all kinds, with more jobs will be available for those looking to have a career in medicine. But, this is also a great chance for those who are looking to switch careers or for those who didn’t have much luck finding a new job.

Since it is such an interesting prospect, people are inclined to read about it and look for more information about it on the web, which is why running a website that offers valuable information for medical personnel, including the rate of employment, and even salaries across all states, is a good idea if you want to start a website that is profitable. Niches like this get a lot of traffic with people regularly searching for information online – traffic means potential for you to earn. The medical careers niche is also on an upward trajectory as it experiences continued growth. Of course it helps if it is something you have personal experience of.

I was surprised myself when I found out how popular sites like this one are. Take your time and study the website I found and find some similar ones, and you might try this model out for yourself. The subject you chose can mean the difference between success and failure so you need to do a lot of research before jumping in. Hopefully, this will inspire you to look for other hot topics which can be monetized successfully and have a growing audience.

The digital age has brought us many new and exciting things: Personal computers, the internet, cell phones, Google, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, High-Definition, and so on and so forth. But, in addition to innovations, it has also changed the way we do certain things.

For example, you can do all of your shopping online and have the items delivered to your doorstep from any corner of the world. Or chatting with your friends and family via Skype, adding that much-needed visual component which phone conversations lack. Dating even takes place online as well, although I’d love to see how they can replace the real thing. Or perhaps, I rather wouldn’t!

But, since all of those things can be done in a few simple clicks, it was just a matter of time before people started doing their jobs online as well. Some occupations have caught on more quickly than others but nearly all jobs can be done, at least in part, online. You don’t have to be a software developer to be able to work online.

There is a ton of work to be done online for marketing experts, architects, designers, artists, musicians, photographers or writers. Yours truly has been working online full-time for years now. It started off as a temporary solution, until I found a “real job”. And I’ve kept on doing it, much to dismay of everyone around me. That is, until it started bringing me more money than the coveted real job.

Having everything within an arm’s reach is great except when it comes to your health, which is why you need to consider working out from home as well. Even the simple physical effort of travelling to work has been removed from many people’s lives, thanks to working from home. Trying to incorporate some proper exercise into your daily life is more important than ever.

Get Moving Again!

Most of us fail to realize how getting out of the house and being active has an effect on our health. Working out not only benefits your body but your mind as well because your brain will be supplied with more oxygen during the workout, which means your mind will function better allowing you to be more productive. Also, strengthening your upped body muscles will improve your posture and stance which is probably horrible because all you do is sit, work and eat, and not much else. Getting in shape or at least not letting yourself go completely is something you need to think about if you are working from home.

Of course there are many ways to go about getting fit from swimming to gym membership. Many home workers like to buy home exercise equipment giving them freedom to exercise when it suits them. I long ago learned the benefits of staying fit whilst working from home. Exercise has an amazing effect on your productivity. I chose the home exercise route and bought an elliptical trainer – amazing bits of kit! With a home elliptical machine you can have as heavy a workout as and when you please. Haven’t heard of elliptical machines? I recommend you visit Elliptical Machine Advice.com – they have lots of information on elliptical trainers including reviews and a buying guide. Of course there are many alternatives to ellipticals such as home rowing machines, treadmills and exercise bikes. The important thing is to find something which fits your lifestyle – and use it regularly.

There are many benefits of working from home. You save a ton of time on commuting, not having to drive to work and get stuck in traffic. Not having to drive means you also save money on gas – plus you are doing your bit for the environment as well. You can earn more by taking on more work and controlling your hours at times that suit your lifestyle. And you can wear sweatpants! That one sold it for me. But, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. The truth is, you could be heading in a very unhealthy direction, unless you get some regular exercise during your downtime. Take some time out and get some exercise!

Smartphones and tablets have changed the IT landscape, and the way we use technology, forever. Before, you would go online, check out your email, your social media accounts, browse for stuff that sparked your interest, and after you were done, you would go about your day. Nowadays, though, we are all constantly online, and everything is moving at an incredible pace. Perhaps the best indicator of this is the tablet’s ability to stay online and receive messages while on standby. Be that as it may, when it comes to doing some serious work, desktops and laptops are still the first go-to option. We are going to focus on laptops this time, since they are portable, and analyze why they are still a better option than tablets.

They Have an Actual Keyboard

Virtual keyboards have come a long way, but they are no match for actual physical keyboards. Those of you who type without taking your eyes off the screen will understand how much a tactile component matters. Virtual keyboards are smaller, with no ergonomics to speak of. Just try typing up reports on it, and you’ll see why it is lacking. Laptops, for now, have the edge when it comes to keyboards.

More Storage Space

You can get a tablet with 128GB of storage space, which is more than enough for your casual IT consumer. On the other hand, even the cheapest laptops have at least 500GB of storage space, and those positioned in the middle of the price range usually have as much as 1TB of space built into them. This is excellent if you are running a business.

Optical Drive

While optical drives are slowly, but surely, on their way out, we still need them on occasion, and most laptops still come with a DVD drive. You may need it for business, or to transfer some data that you had burned on a DVD because you don’t want it to get lost. If you go with a tablet, your DVD collection will become pretty pointless.

PC Software Beats Apps

While there are some great apps out there, none of them can match the expansiveness and the capabilities of software suites we have come to rely on. Apps are great if you want to get some work done quickly, but anything that involves rolling up your sleeves and digging in for hours until you get the job done, will require a laptop. And of course there’s a zero chance for incompatibility.

Laptops Support All Standards

The fact that laptop supports just about every IT standard out there, including USB, SATA, HDMI, Ethernet, SD cards, Bluetooth and other, means that no matter where you find yourself, you will always have an option to connect your computer to something and vice versa. The same cannot be said of tablets.

Of course, it would be best if you could have both a laptop and a tablet, but if you need to choose one that’s going to cover more ground, laptops are still a better option.

Have you ever heard of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, or the EFF? It’s a group dedicated to protecting digital liberties. They’ve fought against SOPA and Net Neutrality, and they have a list of companies that support online civil liberties. One thing they have is the Secure Messaging Scorecard. The EFF explains it:

The Secure Messaging Scorecard examines dozens of messaging technologies and rates each of them on a range of security best practices. Their campaign is focused on communication technologies — including chat clients, text messaging apps, email applications, and video calling technologies.

These are the tools everyday users need to communicate with friends, family members, and colleagues, and we need secure solutions for them.

How Secure Are Your Communications?

This all might be of interest to you if you value your privacy. Today more than ever we are being monitored in almost everything we do. You would need to be living in a cave not to have heard about spying and unauthorized monitoring by everyone from Google and Governments to your local law enforcement representative!

The Rise of Cell Phone Spy Software

With the rise of the smartphone, mobile monitoring has been taken to a new level. Now people can install spy software apps to spy on friends, family members and business associates. Products capable of very detailed monitoring are almost mainstream now – FlexiSpy is said to have over 100,000 active users in the U.S. alone! Have a look at Reflex Software – a site dedicated to spy software products, it is frightening what can be done with a simple software download.

Secure messaging and communication is more important now than ever before.

So What Makes A Secure Messaging App, Anyway

The Secure Messaging Scorecard gives a rating to apps based on seven different factors, and we’ll list them right here:

Can you prove who you’re messaging is real?

Is your encryption protected from the messaging company itself, so they can’t see what you’re doing?

If someone steals your encryption keys, are your old communications still protected?

Can an independent reviewer look at the app’s code?

In all stages, are your messages encrypted so that no one can possibly get them?

Is the cryptographic implementation and designed reviewable, and is it documented?

Has the implementation and the code been, in the last year, independently audited?

While these factors, on their own, don’t prove that an app is 100 percent secure, if an app has these features, it increases the odds of it being more secure. A good way they test this is to make sure the app has four or more of the criteria. If not, it may be unsecure.

If a Messenger is Popular, it’s Probably More Insecure

If you think that a popular messenger means that it must have the best security, you’re wrong. SnapChat, WhatsApp, Skype, iMessage, BlackBerry Messenger, and Facebook Chat do not hold the candle. In fact, the only one to have at least two of these is iMessage.

The parent companies that owns them, all except for Apple, have the power to read your messages after decryption. This means that the government can read every single message you’ve gotten, and this can put you at risk, even if you think you haven’t done anything wrong.

The Most Secure Apps You Haven’t Heard of

Silent Phone and Silent Text from Silent Circle, ChatSecure, TextSecure, RedPhone, and WhisperSystem all passed with flying colors when it comes to the EFF’s way of keeping score. These apps are the most secure.

ChatSecure

This is a free app for Android and iOS that uses open source cryptographic libraries such as OTR, Tor, and XMPP. In other words, your messages will be private. You can send messages to other users, as well as people who use apps that have the same security measurements. It’s available in the Google Play or the iTunes store.

Silent Circle

This one has a subscription plan, and it will cover two apps that had a full score: Silent Text and Silent Phone. You can get these for Android and iOS. Silent Phone is a more secure version of Skype, and allows for encrypted voice, conference, and video calls. What’s better is that you can send secure calls to people who don’t use the app. Silent Text, as you imagined, is a messenger app that’s a secure alternative to Facebook Chat or WhatsApp.

This is great for business people who need lots of security. It costs just $12.99 a month starting, and it allows unlimited communication between members. The different plans allow for more monthly minutes you have when it comes to calling non-members with this app. Go to their website to find out more.

WhisperSystems

WhisperSystems is like the previous one, as it comes bundled in different secure apps. It includes RedPhone and TextSecure for Android, and iOS has Signal.

So what is RedPhone? It combines with your phone’s dialer. If your partner has RedPhone on theirs, you can have an encrypted call. TextSecure is like that as well, but for your text app instead. It automatically encrypts your texts if both of you have it installed. Signal, however, does not integrate. Instead, it’s an app that’s standalone. But you can call RedPhone users using it, and TextSecure message capability is still being looked at.

These are both available in the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store. Check them out!

There are so many privacy threats that you can’t even comprehend them all. Government, hackers, and more, they’re out there. And if you think you’re doing nothing wrong, even Googling the most innocuous things can put you on a watch list. So to be the most secure, these apps are a good place to stop if you want your communications secure. You don’t have to be a mob boss to want security when you communicate. So if you want more privacy, as you deserve, give these apps a try.